Machine for stiffening brims of hats



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MACHINE FOR STIFPBNING BRIMS 0F HATS. No. 590,370.

v NVENTOR TTORNE Paten ted Sept. 21, 1897.

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L. R. HEIM. MACHINE FOR STIPPENING BRIMS 0F HATS.

No. 590 ,37 O Patented Sept. 21 1897.

INVENTOR Rtelw 'ATTORN Tm: onus mns ca. vnormafnu., WASHINGTON, ma

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. L. R. HEIM. MACHINE FOR STIPFEN'ING BRIMS OP HATS.

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E nw 7 3l' Il S i W m m A Toamwv UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEIVIS R. HEIM, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR STIFFENING BRIMS OF HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 590,370, dated September 2i, 1897. Y Application filed January 15, 1897- Serial No. 619,351. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, LEWIS R. HEIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairfield. and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stiffening the Brims of Hats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for applying stiifening compound to hat-bodies, and particularly to the brim portions thereof, and has for its object to improve upon the construction shown and described in the pending application for Letters Patent iiled by me August 14, 1896, under Serial No. 602,743.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, Figure 1 is a plan of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a detail perspective of the device for guiding and supporting the hat-bodies g Fig. 4, a detail broken perspective of the pipes by means of which the stiening compound is immediately applied to the hat-bodies; Fig. 5, a detail perspective of the slide-bar which is intermediate of the controller-cam and the slide which carries the hat-supporting devices; and Fig. 6, a bottom view of said controller-cam, with the extreme end of the slide-bar shown in dotted lines in proper position with respect to the cam element immediately prior to the operation of the latter to actuate such slide.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. I have heretofore referred to the present invention as an improvement upon the construction contained in a prior application, and in conformity with the practice of the -Patent Office I shall describeA all,the parts of the machine which I have illustrated, although such parts are mainly identical with respect to construction and operation with the corresponding parts in my prior application. It is thought that the best description of such parts might be given in the language of the description which forms a part of such application,an d therefore I will n ow adopt this course before entering into any explanation of my present improvements.

lis a'bed or table supported by suitable legs 2.

3 is the power-shaft, journaled in bearings 4, bolted to the under side of the table 1.

5 G are conical-shaped feed-rolls secured, respectively,on the upper ends of inclined shafts 7 8, the latter being journaledin adjustable brackets or supports 9 IO. Rigid with the table are ears 1l, between which the bracket 9 is pivoted.

12 is a set-screw tapped within the' upper end of a post 13, which rises from the table in the immediate rear of the bracket 9. The end of theset-screw 12 bears against the bracket 9,and by manipulating this screw said bracket may be rocked on its pivot and the roll 5 adjusted to a proper plane with respect to thev roll 6, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2.

14 is aslide working in ways 15, formed on the table, and 16 are ears which rise from the inner end of said slide and between which the bracket 10 is pivoted.

17 is a post formed rigid with the slide 14, and 18 is a set-screw tapped within the upper end of Asaid post. The end of the set-screw 18 bears against the outer portion of the bracket 10, and by manipulating this screw said bracket may be rocked on its pivot, whereby the roll 6 may be adjusted with respect to the roll 5.

19 is a post formed rigidly with the table, and 20is`a coil-spring which is interposed between the post 17 on the slide 14 and said post 19. The spring 2O exerts a tendency to keep the roll 6 pressed tightly against the roll 5.

29 30 are two bevel-gears secured on the power-shaft 3, which intermesh with the respective gears 31 32 on the ends of the shafts 7 8, whereby motion is communicated from the power-shaft to the conical-shaped rolls 9 10.

The stiffening compound is contained within a reservoir 33, located somewhat above the horizontal plane of the rolls 5 6, and 34 is an outlet-pipe which conducts the stiffening compound from the reservoir.

36 is a cock by means of which the quantity of liquid flowing through lthe pipe 34 may be against the cam 49.

regulated. The pipe 34 leads from a valvechamber 37 at the bottom of the reservoir, and 3S is a slide-valve workin gin said chamber, which controls the flow of liquid therefrom.

lVhen the valve 38 is in its highest position, as shown in Fig. 2, the supply of liquid from the reservoir will be cut off, but when said valve occupies its lowest position the stitfening will be free to flow through the pipe 34 to the hat. This valve 38 is automatic in its operation, and the mechanism for eectin g the movements of said valve I will now describe.

39 is a short vertical shaft or spindle secured to the bottom of the table, and 40 is a spurgear journaled loosely around said shaft.

41 is a vertical slide which works in a way 42, planed in a support 43.

44 is a lever pivoted at 45 to a post 46, rigid with the table, one endof said lever being pivotally connected to the upper end of the ver- 'tical slide 41, while the other end is pivoted to the lower end of a link 47. The upper end of the link 47 is pivoted at 48 to the end of the slide-valve 38.

49 is a cam formed upon the face of the gear 40, upon which the lower end of the vertical slide 41 tracks. 'Ihe weight of the slide 41 is sufficient to keep said slide normally pressed The contour of the cam 40 is such that when said cam is rotated avertical reciprocation will be imparted to the slide 41.

Motion is imparted to the gear 40 from a spur-pinion 50, formed on the hub of a bevelgear 51, which is loosely journaled around a vertical spindle 52, secured to the bottom of the table. The bevel-gear 51 meshes with and is driven by a bevel-gear 53, secured on the power-shaft. The proportions of the gears 40 50 51 53 are such that the power-shaft will make ten revolutions to revolve the gear 40 once.

The clutch mechanism whereby the machine is started and automatically brought to a standstill I will now describe.

54 is the power-pulley, loosely mounted on the end of the power-shaft, and 55 are teeth formed on the hub of said pulley.

56 is a collar tight on the power-shaft and adjacent to the toothed hub of the powerpulley. The collar 56 has a groove 57 cut therein, within which works a sliding bolt 58, actuated in any ordinary way by a spring. (Not shown.) The bolt 58 has a beveled offset 59 projecting therefrom, which is adapted to be engaged by the beveled foot 6() of a vertical slide 61,working in a way 62, planed in the end of the support 43. IVhen the slide 61 is in its elevated position, the bolt 58 will be free to engage the teeth on the hub of the power-pulley, and said pulley will cause the power-shaft to be revolved; but when said slide is depresse'd, so that the beveled foot thereof will engage the bolt 58, said bolt will be withdrawn from the teeth or notches on the hub of said power-pulley and the machine will be brought to a standstill.

63 is a vertical slide working in the way 42 beside the slide 41, and 64 is a bar which connects the slides 61 63 together, so that the movements of said slides will be simultaneous.

The lower end of the slide 63 tracks upon a raised annular step or cam 65, formed on the upper face of the gear-wheel 40, immediately adjacent to the cam 49.

66 is a recess or depression made in the surface of the annular step 65, within which the slide 63 rests when said slide is in its lowest position and the machine is at a standstill.

67 is a rock-shaft journaled in bearings 68 on the table, and 69 is a finger which projects beneath the bar 64 and is secured to one end of said rock-shaft. The other end of this rock-'shaft is provided with an operating-handle 70, by means of which said shaft may be rocked and the finger 69 caused to raise the slides 6l 63 to permit the bolt 58 to engage the toothed hub of the poWer-pulley,\vhe1eby the machine is set in motion.

7l is an ad j listing-screw tapped within the outer end of the slide 14, the head of which screw bears against the end of one of the Ways 15, as clearly shown .in Fig. 1, and by manipulating said screw the inward throw of the slide 14 may be regulated, by means of which the pressure of the rolls on the hat-body is iucreased or diminished. f

The function of the rolls 5 6 is to revolve the hat body as the stilfening is applied thereon, and by the action of said rolls the stiifening is made to soak thoroughly into the felt.

The relative diameters of the various gears with respect to the cam which controls the stiffening-supply are such that the hat-body will be revolved several times while the stili?- ening is being applied thereon.

- As shown in the drawings, the rolls 5 6 will be revolved twenty (20) times while the gear 40, carrying the cani, is revolved once, and such revolution of said rolls will revolve the hat-body approximately fourtimes. The cams 49 65 are so timed with respect to each other that the stiffening-supply will be cut olf by the cam 49 suiiiciently in advance of the stopping of the machine by the action of the cam 65 so that the hat-body will be revolved at least one complete revolution'by the rolls 5 6 before the machine is brought toa standstill.

The effect of rolling the hat-body through the rolls 5 6 after the stiffening-supply has been cut off`is to thoroughly and evenly distribute the stii'ening and to also remove any surplus, so that the quality of the hat is greatly improved. f

In the foregoing description not only have I used the language of my former application, but I identify corresponding parts by the same numbers of reference, so that a clear understanding may be had of such construc- IOO IIO

tion, and I make no claim in the present application to any part of the construction heretofore described, since the same is abundantly covered by such prior application.

My present improvement relates to the devices for properly supporting and adjusting the hat-body, for supplying the stitfening compound, for automatically effecting the separation and closing of thesrolls, for preventing the stiffening compound from dripping upon and clogging the running-gear of the machine, for removing any surplus stiffening or other foreign matter from the tops of the rolls, for acting against the lower edge of the hat-body to keep the same perfectly clean, and for properly supporting and guiding the hat immediately before the same enters between the rolls.

I will now describe my present improvements, calling attention first to the support for the hat-body and the proper movements of the rolls.

Around the hub of the gear 39 is secured a collar 72, the gear itself being arranged to slide freely on an ordinary feather 73 along the shaft 3, and a post 74, depending from the slide 14 within the groove 7 left between said collar and gear, connects said slide and gear together as to sliding movements Without interfering with the rotation of the gear.

76 is a slide-bar supported beneath the bed in such manner as to be capable of a free sliding movement. j

77 is a shoulder formed on one end of this sliding bar, against which shoulder binds a screw-bolt 7S, driven through the post 74, while the other extremity of the slide-bar is formed into a step 79, which projects immediately beneath the-lower edge of the calngear 40.

S0 is a wiper-cam, which is secured to the under surface of the gear 40 at such a point that the revolution of said gear will carry such wiper-cam against the slide-bar 76 to operate the latter immediately prior to the time when the machine is stopped by the action of the cam 65 on the upper surface of placed in its stead.

this gear. It will therefore be clear that when this slide-bar 76 has been actuated by the wiper SO the slide 14, the bracket 10, with the roll 6 and the hat-supporting device carried thereby, together with the gears 30 32, will be carried bodily outward, so as t0 effect the separation of the rolls 5 6, whereby a hat-body may be removed and another one At the same time it will be clear that the spring 2O will keep the step 7 9 of the slide-bar in close contact with the wiper-cam 80, so that when the latter is removed by the subsequent revolution of the gear 40 said slide, together with all the parts actuated thereby, will be returned to normal position.

For the purpose of laying a foundation to a claim that is not limited to any special style of device for immediately supporting the hatbody I would call attention to the fact that the automatic separation and closing of the excepting a rotary one, and only a slight movement of the slide 14 could be had, owing to the necessity for preserving a proper engagement between these gears. In my present improvement the rolls 5 6 may be separated a distance suflicient to properly clean and inspect the same and to insert ahat therebetween with the greatest facility. But I have also provided adevice for supporting the hat-body which is capable of an independent and positive adjustment to elevate or lower the hat-body without disturbing the vertical plane of the edge of the same which passes between the rolls. This device comprises a vertical guide-plate 81, secured to the bracket l0, within which plate a `bar 82 fits snugly, but is capable of a free vertical play and is provided with an elongated slot S3, through which a screw-threaded pin S4 projects from the plate 81, a thumb-nut 85 being driven around the extremity of this pin againstv the bar S2, whereby the latter may be secured in any vertical adjustment. The upper portion of this bar S2 is bent inwardly at an angle, and upon the extremity of this angular portion 86 is supported the tip-block S7. The part 86 is at such an angle to the vertical portion of the bar S2 that it-is in axial disposition with respect to the block 87 IOO and the hat-body 88 supported thereon, while Y at the same time the hat will always be presented between the rolls 5 -6 in a vertical plane, so that it will be clear that these conditions will not be altered in the slightest by the adjustment of such bar up and down within the plate Sl. To the opposite bracket 9 is also secured aguide-plate S9, within which is confined a bar 90, capable of vertical play and secured in various adjustments by means of a screw-pin 93, projecting from said plate through an elongated slot 92 in the bar, and a thumb-nut 91, which is driven around said pin against the bar itself. This bar is curved upwardly and outwardly, and on the extreme lower end of the outwardly-curved portion 94 is secured a finger 95, which wipes along the lower edge of the hat-body immediately beyond the rolls for the purpose of removing any of the stiifening which has gathered on such edge and might otherwise dry into a hardened bead. Projecting from the body of this bar 90 is a bracket 96, to the outer end of which is secured a combined support and guide for the hat-body. The. support consists of a horizontally-disposed ledge 97, on which the edge of the hat-body may rest, while the guide consists of a curved solutely necessary, still they are very desir-A able and in all probability would always be present in my machine, and, moreover, they aid materially in properly supporting and guiding hats whose lower edges are not uniformly disposed.

Referring to the devices for adjusting the hatbody in different horizontal planes, I would further call attention to the fact that since the roll6 and the guide-plate S1 are both carried by the bracket 10 they must always occupy the relative positions shown at Fig. 2 of the drawings, and since this is true it will be clear that any independent elevating or lowering of the hat-'body which would carry the inner edge of the latter out of a fixed vertical plane would result in the improper presentation of the hat to the roll, since this roll 6 itself has no independent adjustment whereby it could be made to follow up the adjustment of the hat-body. Therefore in this respect my improvement results in a decided advantage, since 'the stieningmay be applied to the hat throughout any extent from the lower edge thereof without disturbing the Vvertical disposition of the hat-body as it is presented to the rolls.

From the foregoing it will be clear that, by reason of the fact that this vertical adj ustment of the hat-body is perfectly independent, it is immaterial whether the hat-supporting devices be carried by the slide or whether they rest upon a stationary part of the machine, the gist of my invention in this respect residing in the broad idea of adjusting the hatbody to different horizontal planes without disturbing the vertical disposition of the inner edge of said body where the latter is presented to the rolls.

Secured to the tops of the brackets 9 10 are scrapers 99 100, which extend in close proximity to the upper surface of the rolls 5 6 and are curved in opposite directions, the function of these Scrapers being to remove all the stilfening compound which might work up on top of the rolls and to sweep the same away from the hat-body. These Scrapers, al-

though they constitute a minor feature of my invention, nevertheless are exceedingly useful and frequently save a hat from being gummed by the stilfening compound.

Secured to the bracket H is a drip-pan 101, which is provided in its bottom with perforated thimbles 102 103, through which the shafts of the rolls 5 6 extend. 104 105 are sheds which are secured to the bottoms of the rolls and respectively overhang said thimbles. The object of the drip-pan is to catch and retain all of the stiening compound which drips from the rolls, while the raised thimbles and sheds prevent the stiifening from flowing down the shafts 7 S and thereby clogging the running-gear of the machine.

One of the most serious disadvantages present in hat-stiffening machines arises from the gumming and consequent clogging of the shafts in their bearings and of meshing gears and other running parts of the machine, and such clogging renders it imperative that the machine shall receive an overhauling and cleaning every now and then, occasioning expense and loss of time. My drip-pan arrangement, although in itself a simple affair, is nevertheless exceedingly serviceable, and can, moreover, be used in connection with any machine employing rolls for applying the stiening.

In machines for stiening hats, if the stiliening compound is applied to the hat at a point so remote froln the rolls that the stiff-l ening runs down the hat and becomes improperly distributed before the rolls perform their function, the hat must be passed between the rolls an unusual number of times in order that the stiening may be properly applied. On the other hand, if the stiifening is applied at a point too near the rolls, there will be no opportunity for its proper distribution throughout the area required to be stilfened before such rolls perform their function. This is also true with different kinds of stiifening, some of which fiows more readily than others, and also a marked difference exists between certain kinds of hats, and some hats absorb the stilfening more readily than others. I have therefore equipped my present im provement with means for applying the stiening at any desired distance from the rolls, which means I will now describe.

106 is a pipe having a vertical elbow 107, which telescopes with the pipe 34, a set-screw 108 beingvemployed to secure these telescoping portions in any desired vertical adjustment. I employ a rolling joint 109 between this pipe and elbow, so that said pipe may turn freely. Rising from the pipe 106 are two delivery-pipes 110 111, which are pro- IOO IIO

vided at their upper extremities with nozzles 112 113, which extend laterally toward each other and are separated by any suitable space. In proper position with respect to a hat-body these nozzles 112 113 are respectivelyoutside and inside said body, as shown at Fig. 2. Carried by the upper extremities of these pipes 111 are upwardly-projecting ears 114 115, through which set-screws 116 117 are driven and abut against the upper extremities of the brackets 9 10. By manipulating these set-screws the nozzles may be caused to approach or recede from the rolls 5 6, so that any improper flowing or distribution of Vthe stiffening may be readily corrected by the adjustment of these nozzles. The vertical adjustment of thev hat-body itself, as hereinbefore described, maynecessitate the adjustment of these nozzles in a dilferent horizoni tal plane, and this is readily accomplished by manipulating the set-screw 108 and elevating or lowering the elbow 107, as the case may demand, It will be clear that this adjustment of the devices for locally applying Vthe stiffening compound is not necessarily limited as to its utility to any special construction of hat-stiffening machine, the gist of my invention in this respect resting in the idea of independently ad justin g these devices lvith respect to the rolls which act upon the It will of course be obvious that, although I have shown only the bracket 10 carried by a slide, it would not amount to invention, but would be the outcome of mere mechanical skill to mount the other' bracket 9 on a slide and to operate the same precisely as the slide 14 is operated, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to a sliding arrangement as adapted to only one of the brackets.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for stitfening the brims of hats, the combination of means for conducting and applying the stiffening, a pair'of rolls between which the hat is passed, devices for supporting the hat and for properly presenting the same to said rolls, means for revolving the rolls, automatically-controlled mechanism for stopping the rotation of the rolls,and instrumentalities automatically controlled and operated by said stop mechanism for separating the rolls immediately prior to the stopping of the rotation thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for stiening the brims of hats, the combination of the slide which carries the hat-supportin g devices and one of the rolls, the power driving mechanism, automatic means for stopping the machine, and instrumentalities automatically controlled and operated by the stop mechanism for retracting said slide at a predetermined time, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for stiffening the brims of hats, the combination of the slide supported on the bed of the machine, the pair of rolls one of which is supported within a stationary part of the machine while the other one is supported by said slide, the hat-supporting devices carried by said slide, means-as a spring-for throwing said rolls and devices in normal position, means for revolving the rolls, automatically-operated mechanism for stopping the rotation of the rolls, and the slide-bar intermediate of said slide and stop mechanism and automatically operated by the latter to retract said slide and the parts carried thereby at a predetermined time, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the power-shaft, the slide supported on the bed of the machine, the shafts supported respectively by the stationary bed of the machine and by said slide, the rolls secured on the upper ends of said shafts, the bevel-gears on the lower ends of said shafts, the bevel-gears on the powershaft meshing with the first-named gears one of these power-shaft gears being capable of sliding on its shaft, means for connecting this sliding gear to said slide, the hat-supporting devices carried by said slide, means for revolving the power-shaft, stop mechanism for arresting the movement of said shaft, a rotary cam for operating said stop mechanism, a spring for maintaining the normal position of said slide and the parts carried.

thereby, the slide-bar supported beneath the bed of t-he machine and abutted at one end against said slide, and means carried by said cam and operating against the other end of said bar to throw back the same and thereby effect the retraction of the slide and the parts carried thereby at a time prior to 'the stopping of thepower-shaft, substantially as set fort-h.

5. In a machine for stiffening the brims of hats, the combination of the rolls between which the hat is passed, with devices for supporting the hat and for presenting the inner edge of the hat-body to said rolls in a vertical plane, and means for adjusting said devices in dierent horizontal planes without' disturbing the vertical disposition of said edge, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the rolls between which the hat is passed, with hat-supporting devices and means for adjusting the latter in dierent horizontal planes and for presenting the inner edge of the hat-body to said rolls in a fixed vertical plane, substantially as set forth. A

7 The combination of the slide, the bracket carried thereby,the vertically-disposed guideplate secured to said bracket, the bar guided and capable of sliding within said plate and having an angular bent portion projecting from the upper part thereof, the tip-block supported on the extremity of such bent p0rtion, and means for adjusting said bar in different horizontal planes, substantially as set forth.

S. In a machine for stiffening the brims of hats, the combination with means for supporting the hat-body and the rolls between which the hat is passed, of the vertically-adj ustable bracket 96 having secured thereto the horizontal ledge for supporting the lower edge of the hat-body, the outer edge of such ledge being bent and curved and adapted to extend within the hat-body whereby the latter is properly guided between said rolls, substantia-lly as set forth.

9. The combination of the rolls journaled within the brackets 9, 10, of the Scrapers secured to the upper extremity of said brackets and extending in close proximity to the tops of the rolls, the extremities of such scrapers being bent and curved in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine for stiifening the brims of hats and in which the hat is passed between vertically-disposed rolls, the dri p-pan secured IIO in position below such rolls and provided with perforated upwardly-extendin g thimbles through which the shafts of said rolls pass, and the sheds secured to the bottoms of said rolls and overhanging said thimbles, substantially as set forth.

11. In a machine for stiffening the brims of hats, the combination of the rolls between which the hat is passed, means for properly supporting and presenting the hat between .said rolls, the pipes provided with suitable nozzles for applying the stiening to said hat, and means for adjusting said pipes toward and away from said rolls whereby the stiftening may be applied to said hat at points vari-' which extend laterally toward each other and also having ears projecting upwardly, and the adjusting screws passed through said ears and bearing against said brackets whereby said nozzles may be adjusted toward or away from said rolls, substantially as set forth.

13. In a machine for stitfening the brims of hais, the combination of a pair of rolls for act-4 ing upon the hat after the stiifening is applied, means for supporting the hat with its inner edge in a fixed vertical plane, means for adjusting such support to different horizontal planes without disturbing said vertical plane, devices for applying the stiening to said hat, means for adjusting said devices toward or away from Vsaid rolls, the combined support for the lower edge of the hat'117 and curved guide for the inside of the hat, means for imparting revolution to said rolls, automatically-operated appliances for stopping the machine at predetermined times, and devices eontrolled and operated by said appliances for separating the rolls immediately prior to the stopping of the machine, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEIVIS R. HEIM.

IVitnesses:

LEANDER P. Foo'rn; IV. C. DUFRANE. 

